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63 [1935
An interesting' item which is worth recording was brought to notice previous
to our propaganda week. Rats were caught at an address in the Borough for a
period of several weeks, and an approximate estimate of the rats caught in these
particular premises would be 60.70; then there was an interval in which the traps
and cage traps were again set with no result as regards the capture of rats,
although the presence of at least one was still suspected, as the baits were removed.
An experiment was made of baiting a wire cage with sunflower seeds, and a large
rat was caught; no more have been seen or heard since. The history of the use of
sunflower seeds as a bait for rats is interesting; undoubtedly they are an irresistible
bait for rats, probably due to their very large oil content. It is said that they were
first tried by Captain Weedin, who had charge of animals at the Washington Zoo,
U.S.A. The building was infested with rats, and although traps were used nothing
would tempt the rats to enter. There happened to be in a store-room drawer in
the building a quantity of sunflower seeds used as a food for some of the birds,
and into this drawer the rats gnawed their way. This incident led Captain
Weedin to experiment with them as a bait in the traps. The result is stated to
have been that the rats could not be kept out of the traps; a trap which appeared
overcrowded with six or seven rats was found some mornings to hold 15. These
very old experiments I think are worth taking note of, and it may be that better
results would be obtained if sunflower seeds were more generally used as bait. I
have been unable to trace the original report of Captain Weedin, but an extract
appeared in a Cincinnati newspaper, and this found its way into a little book,
"Saxon's Curious Facts," edited by Don Lemon, and published as far back as
1890.
During the year 1935 the number of complaints received was 199.
The number of private houses visited under the Rats and
Mice (Destruction) Act 412
The number of shops and factories visited 37
The total premises inspected 449
Street work visits numbered 239
Number of premises proved to be rat infested 190
Number of premises in which infestation was due to mice... 9
Number of notices served 140
Drain defects remedied as a result of complaint of rat
trouble 42

RAG AND BONE DEALERS.
During the year 73 visits were paid to 29 premises upon which is carried on
the business of a rag and bone dealer, and all were found to be in a satisfactory
Condition,